Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Chimbote (Agenzia Fides) - "A land that was watered with the blood of martyrs, is called to generate new Christians in the example of the Gospel": says the Bishop of Chimbote, His Exc. Mgr. Angelo Francisco Simon Piorno in a message published on the occasion of the beatification of the three missionary martyrs, the Polish Franciscans Miguel Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strzalkowski and the Italian priest Alessandro Dordi, which will take place on Saturday, December 5.
The three missionaries were killed in Ancash (Peru), by the guerrillas of the Shining Path, for their defense of Gospel values and to work with the poor. The Franciscans were killed in Pariacoto on 9 August 1991, the Italian priest on August 25, 1991, after celebrating a Mass in Vinzos, a village of Santa River valley.
In his message, sent to Agenzia Fides, the Bishop of Chimbote explains that "where the beatification will be held we have placed this expression: 'Martyrs of faith and charity, witnesses of hope'. Martyrs of faith, because this was what gave them the strength to face the imminent death and martyrs of charity, because their whole life was devoted to rural communities, with people living in poverty and marginalization. For these reasons, they become not only for our diocese, but for the entire Church of Peru, witnesses of hope".
Given the large number of faithful expected, the beatification will take place in the Stadium of Chimbote, the diocese where the three martyrs worked. The Peruvian Bishops' Conference has inaugurated a website dedicated to the beatification of the martyrs with their biographies, notes on martyrdom, witnesses, details of the beatification, news and multimedia material, videos and photos. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 01/12/2015)
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